Rick Ware Racing is a team in transition. They’re currently in the middle of a lawsuit with Legacy Motor Club over the sale of one of their charters. And now, Spire Motorsports co-founder T.J. Puchyr has reportedly cut a deal to purchase the team and will be taking over the organization from 2026. It’s no secret that RWR has been struggling financially in recent years, which forced them to lease one of their charters to RFK Racing as well. Perhaps a sale is the best outcome for all parties involved.
And now, NASCAR insiders have weighed in on the sale, revealing just how much it has cost Puchyr to take over Rick Ware’s racing operations. The timing of the sale couldn’t be more bizarre, as there is plenty of ambiguity about the team’s charters after a sale was reportedly agreed with Jimmie Johnson’s side before RWR backed off.
NASCAR insiders open up about Rick Ware Racing’s takeover
T.J. Puchyr knows a thing or two about owning a NASCAR team. After all, he was one of Spire Motorsports’ founders, launching the team with Jeff Dickerson in 2018. At that time, both of them took over a charter from Furniture Row Racing when the team ceased its operations. But last year, Puchyr sold his shares in Spire to Dan Towriss, the CEO of TWG Motorsports, and has spent the last year in a consultation role, working with Rick Ware Racing and Legacy Motor Club as well.
With charters being sold at record prices, it’s not surprising that Rick Ware Racing’s sale was also astronomical. Sharing his thoughts about the sale price, Freddie Kraft said on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, “You’re talking about building an empire, there were some big numbers getting thrown around the garage in the rumor mill. North of nine figures, so.” Smirking at the price, Tommy Baldwin, Competition Director of Rick Ware Racing, couldn’t help but say, “Rick did well.” After all, the team has been struggling financially, and the terms of the deal seem to be very favorable.
As per the sale agreement, Rick Ware will remain associated with the team as a partner, while his son, Cody Ware, will continue driving the No. 51 Ford. Moreover, the current Rick Ware Racing employees will be retained, with no layoff plans for the foreseeable future. Despite lackluster results in the Cup Series, Tommy Baldwin opened up about Cody Ware’s future after the takeover, confirming that, “He’ll be driving the rest of the year and next year for sure.” Meanwhile, Freddie Kraft couldn’t help but feel it was a smart decision by Puchyr, going on to say, “It just goes to show what the value of these charters is. Just gonna continue to grow and hopefully they keep it that way.”
Feb 15, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series team owner Rick Ware during qualifying for the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
It’s not surprising that Rick Ware Racing has been sold for over $100,000,000. After all, the team currently has two charters, but one of them is leased out to RFK Racing for the No. 60 Ford driven by Ryan Preece. According to NASCAR’s rules, charters can be leased once every seven years, and RWR has a contract with Brad Keselowski’s side to lease both of its charters for one year each.
However, there is also a complication as a sale for one of the charters was agreed with Legacy Motor Club. As things stand, Jimmie Johnson has taken them to court after Rick Ware Racing backed out of the deal, and the team has since filed a countersuit, citing discrepancies in the agreement. But with T.J. Puchyr buying the team for over a hundred million dollars, what will happen if LMC wins the court case? It’s a strange situation to be in, and time will tell how the scenes unfold in the future.
T.J. Puchyr opens up about Legacy Motor Club’s lawsuit
To say that it’s a messy situation would be an understatement. Earlier this year, Legacy Motor Club dragged Rick Ware Racing to court after ‘illegally’ backing out of a charter sale despite signing the necessary documents. Since then, RWR has also filed a countersuit, claiming that the deal was for Charter No. 36, which is currently on lease, and not Charter No. 27, which is being used by Cody Ware for the No. 51 team.
With T.J. Puchyr taking over Rick Ware Racing, the former Spire Motorsports founder didn’t mince his words. Hoping to reach an amicable solution, he candidly told the Associated Press, “If anybody deserves a pass, it is Jimmie, and if he wants to sit down and talk about it like men, I’d entertain the conversation. I don’t think Jimmie has all the facts, doesn’t understand the deal we had, and they tried to humiliate Rick publicly. We don’t do business that way.”
In a statement issued by Rick Ware Racing, the team said they “would have no charter under which to race and would go out of business. For this reason, RWR would never have agreed (and unequivocally did not agree) to sell Charter No. 27 in advance of the 2026 season.” Ultimately, it might all come down to the court’s verdict. While it’s not the ideal way for Puchyr to take over a new team, it’s a decision that could pay off in the long run.
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